DIRECTOR general of the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS) Professor Charles Grant has moved to allay fears that Jamaicans face danger with the Government’s plan to adopt nuclear energy for electricity generation in the island.

In January Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announced that nuclear energy is being eyed as a transformative, long-term option to drive economic diversification, manufacturing growth, and cauterise Jamaica’s energy challenge.

At that time Holness argued that the country must prepare to adopt emerging technologies, including small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

Speaking recently during a master class series hosted by The University of the West Indies, titled The Evolution of Nuclear Energy and Strategy Frameworks for Jamaica’s Development, Grant noted that this issue always seems to spark huge emotional responses.

“I’m sure you have all seen the headlines after the honourable Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announced that Jamaica would be looking at nuclear energy for electricity generation…just to say that we are looking — and under my watch, I was asked to chair the committee to investigate the situation. We won’t be a country that adopts a first-of-a-kind reactor. Any type of reactor that we will consider has to have demonstrated safe and secure operation and, of course, be cost-effective,” said Grant.

“So it’s not a sense of just bringing in the technology for the sake of it; it has to help reduce our [energy] bill. With that said, the most important thing about all of these technologies that I’ve rapidly gone through is that they have to be used safely and securely.

“The energy that the nucleus packs is immense. If it is not used correctly it can cause harm — and I know this is always a red flag, and quite rightly so. But again, this is why the law exists — to protect people and the environment and property — and why regulations exist,” added Grant.

He pointed out that Jamaica has been a forerunner in the region with the local use of nuclear technology through the introduction of diagnostic imaging in the health-care industry from the mid-1940s.

According to Grant, nuclear technology has also been used in the agriculture industry with great results and has the potential to assist with challenges ranging from fruit fly and mosquito infestation, to screw worm eradication.

“These are all activities which the technology can and will be used for, and that would have significant impact on the socio-economic development of the country,” Grant pointed out.

He further argued that nuclear technology could be the panacea for the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

“Now, we are all aware of the area that we live in; it’s a very seismically active area and we do suffer from hurricanes from time to time. And as we continue to build our ever more complicated infrastructure with high-rise buildings, ever-larger highways and flyovers, how do we ensure the integrity of the structures after one of these events?

“Well, ideally, you wouldn’t like to have to dig through your concrete to see how the rebar is holding up and so on but the answer of course is non-destructive testing, again using nuclear deep into the structure of these buildings and roadways and so on, and see the integrity if there are any cracks, if there’s rusting taking place. Again, this technology is on the island or on its way to the island,” Grant added.

“You can think of it in simple terms as an X-ray of your building like you would do for your body to check how your bones are and so on so [it’s] a very powerful technique only capable [of] using nuclear technology and… as I keep stating, it’s here now but therefore needs to be used safely. We need to understand how it’s being used and ensure that neither persons nor the environment are being damaged,” he added.

Meanwhile, director general of the Hazardous Substances Regulatory (HSR) Authority Dr Cliff Riley, speaking during the forum, said the protection of people, property and environment was the basis for the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act passed in 2015 and the supporting regulations which were passed in 2019.

“We are pretty much an advanced society in Jamaica and we are the only English-speaking country that has a research reactor, the only English-speaking country that has a gamma radiator, which is used for research purposes,” Riley said even as he pointed out that the regulatory framework in Jamaica is still evolving.

“We’re at the point where we’re bringing on board our nuclear security regulations. Now we hope by 2026 that will be passed — and again that is done through a collaborative approach,” said Riley.

He pointed out that there will be a need for increased human capacity and technical expertise to support the different aspects within the Jamaican space, not just from a technical perspective in terms of nuclear engineers but also from a legal perspective.

“We are very happy that the Norman Law School and the Faculty of Law decided to embark on these programmes, and [we’re] even more excited that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has recognised The University of the West Indies as one of the training sites for nuclear law, because the needs across the Caribbean are expanding, and expanding rapidly, [and] we need, as a region, to ensure that we drive and support nuclear security at the same time [as we’re] improving energy security and food security within our countries.

“Gone are the days when we can be fully dependent on other member states and other countries to guide and provide for Jamaica, the region. We have to carve our own pathway, and we have to do that within the context and with the remit of the obligations as well as the primary construct for radiation protection and safety across the board. So, from the HSR perspective, we are really excited about this discussion,” added Riley

For his part Dr Peter Glegg, nuclear law lecturer at Mona Law School, told the forum that a small modular nuclear reactor would be a very good solution to Jamaica’s high electricity costs, which lead to a higher cost of living and reduce the country’s competitiveness.

“Yes, there are high upfront costs but I know that the World Bank has recently removed its restrictions on funding nuclear energy-related projects,” said Glegg.

He pointed out that in 2023 Jamaica signed the declaration at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2025.

“People are always talking about food security but we also need to look at energy security as well. What happens if there’s a big war, or some catastrophe, and ships are unable to bring oil to Jamaica? What’s going to happen to our power plants?” questioned Glegg as he pointed out that the current legislation in Jamaica does not permit the operation of a nuclear power plant.

“So there exists the need for one massive public education campaign on the benefits of the safe use of nuclear power to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, have no fear for atomic energy.

“We also need far-reaching legislative and the attendant regulatory reform. Now that is where, ladies and gentlemen, we can make the case for nuclear law here in Jamaica. Safe and peaceful use of nuclear energy in any given State can only be assured with the promulgation and implementation of an effective national nuclear legal structure. So it’s all good to talk about getting the equipment and so on but until we have laws to guide the actions of the in dividuals then we know we can’t start,” said Glegg.